European Shares Climb on AI‑Driven Tech Rally

European equity markets surged on Friday, with the Stoxx 600 index rising about 1 % to a record 656.5 points. The rally was led by technology and semiconductor stocks that have benefited from a wave of artificial‑intelligence‑related earnings, including French chipmaker ASML (+8.3 %), Germany’s Infineon (+6.5 %) and Dutch equipment maker ASM (+3.2 %). Lower oil prices – Brent falling below $90 a barrel – also provided support.

Later in the session the index slipped 0.1 % to close at 649.19 points after briefly hitting the new high. Media stocks fell sharply, led by Universal Music Group’s 25.4 % drop, while the technology sector held modest gains of 0.3 % amid mixed results from U.S. AI‑heavy firms such as Microsoft. Investors remain cautiously optimistic despite geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and ongoing valuation concerns around AI‑focused companies.